Marco Rubio's drinking problem — Twitter exploded during Sen. Marco Rubio's Republican response to the State of the Union, as the Florida senator appeared a little sweaty and dry-mouthed at mid-speech, taking an awkward swig from a bottle of water that had been placed off-camera.

Marco Rubio as the anti-Mitt Romney — His desperate need for a drink of water created the immediate headline, but Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) much-anticipated speech Tuesday night had a very serious intent: it was as much an exercise in erasing Mitt Romney's legacy on the Republican Party …

Marco Rubio: ‘I needed water’ — Even the Republican savior gets thirsty. — Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) joked Wednesday about his abrupt, awkward water-break during his delivery of the GOP rebuttal to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday — by doing the same thing again, and then again.

Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address — The following is the text as prepared for delivery of President Obama's State of the Union Address, as provided by the White House: — PRESIDENT OBAMA: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:

Obama punctuates laundry list with plea on gun violence — Obama's two speeches in one... First part was your typical SOTU; second part was emotional plea to curb gun violence... Obama on the economy, sequester... President also unveils laundry list of economic/educational proposals …

The gun control president — “They deserve a vote!” is a powerful argument, but will it be enough to shame the GOP into allowing one? — In a way, it was fitting that the cable news networks were forced by the drama in Big Bear to blow up hours of long-planned pre-State of the Union coverage Tuesday night.

The Deficit Chart That Should Embarrass Budget Hawks — Here's a pretty important fact that virtually everyone in Washington seems oblivious to: The federal deficit has never fallen as fast as it's falling now without a coincident recession. — To be specific, CBO expects the deficit …

CNN Poll: 53% who watched speech give president thumbs up — Washington (CNN) - A majority of Americans who watched President Barack Obama's State of the Union address said they had a very positive reaction to his speech, according to a survey of people across the country who viewed Tuesday night's address.

Challenged for His Seat at 89, a Senator Does Not Go Gentle — WASHINGTON — As he approached his 89th birthday this year, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey was finally considering retirement, an option he had tried a decade earlier and hated so much that he jumped at the chance to return to political life.

Coburn: ‘I Agree We Need To Vote On Guns’ — Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said Wednesday morning he agrees with President Obama's State of the Union call that gun violence prevention legislation deserves a vote in Congress. — “I agree we need to vote on guns,” Coburn said on MSNBC's “Morning Joe.”

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